New cruiser

[Free jean]

First time on this site. Recently retired and looking to spend the kids inheritance :) ....well some of it. Would love to "wet my toes" but really don't know where to start. Will be sailing on my own and starting from Australia ... Any advices would be most welcomed. Have done lots of sailing (Sails and wind) style in the South Pacific, so new to the motoring kind, but....up for adventure.

Jean

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and congrats on your retirement.

 

Since you are looking for cruises out of Australia, you may want to check the Australia and NZ section. There you get many more cruisers for OZ posting.

[Scrapnana]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

I have been retired a year and it is wonderful. I am going solo on my next cruise and am spending the kid's inheritance as well. Since you haven't been on a big cruise ship you might want to start out with a week or so just to make sure you like it. There are many choices out of Brisbane or Sydney (unfortunately I only see one from Cairns next year and it is very pricey). A good way to start is to find a reputable travel agent if you don't have one. Since you can pretty much travel when you like the travel agent might be able to find you a good last minute deal (of course you could scour the internet looking yourself but the travel agent may give you a perk like onboard credit). The main downside to traveling solo (IMO) is that you are going to pay 150-200% of the going rate for a cabin.

 

Visit the solo cruiser forum for more info on cruising by yourself. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=373

 

Hope you find a great first cruise but beware -- it is very addictive!

[cruiserking]

First time on this site. Recently retired and looking to spend the kids inheritance :) ....well some of it. Would love to "wet my toes" but really don't know where to start. Will be sailing on my own and starting from Australia ... Any advices would be most welcomed. Have done lots of sailing (Sails and wind) style in the South Pacific, so new to the motoring kind, but....up for adventure.

Jean

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic Free Jean. I see a nice assortment of cruises from Sydney, Australia. Perhaps a 7 to 9 voyage would be suitable for your first cruise.

 

Royal Caribbean Line's Radiance of the Seas, a really beautiful smaller ship at least for RCCL is doing a 9-night cruise December 1, 2013 to New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Vanuatu and other stops.

 

Princess Cruises Diamond Princess has an 8-night voyage round trip Sydney with stops in Melbourne, Australia (overnight) - Hobart and Port Arthur.

 

Sea Princess does a 6-night from Sydney with stops in Tasmania. Try and find a travel agent that specializes in cruises, research the cruise lines to see which appeals to your tastes.

 

Princess is a great, traditional line with great service, elegant ships. Royal Caribbean caters a bit more to families but, the Radiance is among their smaller ships, not as glitzy as the new builds and very elegant. Either of the ships would make a nice starter cruise for you.

 

Jonathan

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Check out this section of CC for Australian and New Zealand cruisers:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=712

[cruiseaholic777]

We need a little more information about what you like. Do you like good food or more things to do or better entertainment? :rolleyes:

[Tiggertastic]

I love the fact you are looking to spend some of the kids inheritance

 

Celebrity do a good one and you can also take the one that sails across to Hawaii and do some shore time there

 

Be aware that most lines will charge you to for 2 people for a single occupancy so see if you can find one that does not. P&O and NCL Epic all have single cabins but NCL do not do Australia but P&O do, especially some of the legs of their world cruise

[0412lizzie]

I am a first timer and am going on radiance of the sea on 1 December 2013 but found I had to pay for double cabin so am dragging a friend along. I am really getting excited and can't wait.

[Fredr]

Jean,

 

You might consider repositioning cruises. These are cruises where a cruise line moves ships from one part of the world to another. And there are some great deals on these cruises.

 

I have visited Australia three times including a cruise up to Cairns and Brisbane from Sydney. One of many highights though was a visit to Airlie Beach. The ship anchored quite far out and I will never forget riding atop a tender to Airlie. I liked this so much that I rode the tender three times.

 

If you want some ideas about repositioning cruises please let me know and I will do some research for you. I am basically retired and my girlfriend and I are going on a transatlantic cruise in April. As I am recovering from surgery and radiation I have the time to help first timers such as yourself.

 

Fred

[Talisker92]

I would stay away from the short cruises. I have seen reviews of bogans treating them as a drinking cruise

[bevnice343]

I am also a first timer and going solo!!! I am booked to leave from Florida in February :) The one thing I am dreading is always running into the same people. I am a little self conscious right now (because I need some help in the skin tightening department) and don't want to always see the same people at the pool over and over again. When you're on a beach at least you can walk away from the (perfect) people you don't want to see! HA!

[Crew News]

I am also a first timer and going solo!!! I am booked to leave from Florida in February :) The one thing I am dreading is always running into the same people. I am a little self conscious right now (because I need some help in the skin tightening department) and don't want to always see the same people at the pool over and over again. When you're on a beach at least you can walk away from the (perfect) people you don't want to see! HA!

 

There are really only two categories of pool bodies: those to be admired for their "perfectly-stretched" skin and those who could use some tightening. Both categories have a 1 - 10 grading potential. Only on a Disney cruise will the "perfectly-stretched" ones (kids) outnumber those in your category. On ALL other cruise lines you will be in the majority.

 

Since unwritten cruising rules do not permit "grading" those in the same skin category, those in your category, as should you, will be spending their time "grading" those perfectly-stretched ones.

 

Enjoy your dining. Those perfectly-stretched ones will probably not be as sated as you will be.